Truth
by mous1elousi3
Summary: Lan Fan bowed her head again and said, "There is nothing more between young master and myself than what is expected of a lord and his vassal. I am here to serve him as retainer and nothing else."


_**A/N: This is a drabble, really, but one I've lengthened.**_

_**Disclaimer: Characters and universe belong to Hiromu Arakawa, just borrowing them.**_

"**Truth"**

"You called for me, my lady?" asked Lan Fan from the doorway of Lady Yao's private chambers. The lady looked at the girl's reflection in the mirror. She had been scrubbed clean of the grime of the weeks of travel, and after a whole day of rest and solid meals her skin had regained a healthy flush and her eyes were alert.

Lady Yao said, "Yes, come in and sit down."

Lan Fan stepped into the room and gently closed the door behind her. Then she walked over to where Lady Yao sat brushing her hair and took a seat on the low bench there. She was not in uniform today, but a simple dark blue outfit of one in mourning, her face bare and her eyes slightly blood-shot. They had only just had her grandfather's funeral hours before. Lady Yao disliked having to disturb such a thing but there were important matters to discuss, and quickly before Ling decided to seek the girl out.

"I know that you would much prefer to be with your family at this time, but this cannot wait. The request for an audience with the emperor has already been sent and we expect the approval to come at any minute. My son is going to be Emperor of Xing… and he intends to keep you as his guard," said Lady Yao.

The girl did not react. Clearly this was a conversation that she and Ling had had at some point during their return journey from Amestris. Lady Yao continued, "Now, while the decision to keep a trusted retainer of your clan close is not unexpected, the fact that you are female is. Your grandfather kept you under that mask and hood as more than just an intimidation tactic. There is going to be scandal in the court, rumours and whispers that will not end even as my son takes his wives. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded and then said, "Yes, my lady. Grand… grandfather warned me and young master before… I am prepared for it. I will not allow it to distract me from my duties."

Lady Yao studied the girl's face. Her wide eyes were solemn, mouth set in a firm line, gaze steady, none of the usual blush that would paint her cheeks crimson. Amestris had changed her in more ways than taking away her arm. She looked down at it now, quite aggressive, nothing delicate and feminine about those spikes and the elbow blade. It was certainly not a choice that Lady Yao would have made, especially considering that they surely did not expect the girl to be a guard forever, particularly not one so pretty, but Fu had always been a little indulgent with his granddaughter. She said then, "Good, now on to the next matter, when did he kiss you?"

The girl's eyes went wide and her cheeks reddened, then her mouth fell open and after a moment she said, "M-my lady, no such th—"

"Do not lie to me," said Lady Yao, cutting her off. "There is something different about the way he looks at you now. I have noticed it, your uncle noticed it and certainly a number of the maids have been tittering in the corners about 'the young master and Lan Fan'. Your position as his guard will be seriously tainted if this continues so if you do not end it now, then _I_ will."

Lan Fan's wide-eyed stare went wider still and then she said, struggling to keep her voice even, "My lady, I do not know what you or they have seen or heard, but I assure you that no such thing has happened. Young master and I have no such relationship. When we were in Amestris, we spent most of it apart. On the way back through the desert we had to keep young master's victory a secret and return Princess Chang to her clan and my grandfather here. We have had no time to discuss any such thing and young master certainly would not approach me in that manner."

Lady Yao had been watching the girl's face throughout this speech and she had to admit that she looked rather convincing. But Lady Yao had seen that look on young men's faces before. There was a longing, a gleam in the eyes whenever they caught sight of the object of their interest, and Ling looked _very _interested, if also a little intrigued by the young woman sitting before her now. When they had first returned, despite both being equally exhausted, Ling had insisted on seeing the girl back to her family and giving a full account of how Fu had died before going home to rest himself. And all the while he had sat so close to the girl as if trying to protect her from her family…or maybe "protect" was not the word. It was more like, _possessive_. It was a worrying sight. If anything had begun between them it had to be ended, and quickly. Life in the imperial court was going to be difficult enough for a young emperor, no matter how clever he believed himself to be, without the added drama of an ill-fated affair. There was no way he could keep the girl, they had already selected and begun preparing a Yao wife and the court would not allow it. No, this needed to be nipped in the bud.

Lady Yao looked away from the girl and began to fix her makeup again. As she drew the lines of her lips she said, "If you say that has nothing has occurred then who am I to doubt you? If I ask my son he will deny it and do everything in his power to prevent me from speaking with you again. He will do anything to get what he wants once he's set his mind to something."

Lan Fan bowed her head again and said, "There is nothing more between young master and myself than what is expected of a lord and his vassal. I am here to serve him as retainer and nothing else."

Lady Yao could not resist stoking the fire. She said, "And if he asks? What if my son does decide to approach you, what would be your response?"

She paused to wait for the girl's answer. This was critical. The girl did not look up at her but she said in a low voice, "I-I cannot say that I would not be happy to hear that young master may… that he may think me worthy of standing at his side… but that is not my place. I want nothing more than this."

"That is what you say," said Lady Yao, "but that is not so simple in practice. You know that my son can be very _persuasive_ when it suits him."

"He will not approach," insisted Lan Fan. "I will not allow it."

For a time the lady looked at the girl's reflection in her mirror and then she said, "Go and rest now. You are dismissed."

The girl bowed, lower now, and quietly left. Lady Yao waited until she could no longer sense the girl's presence in the main house and then she said aloud, "I warn you as I warned her: end it now or I will."

The prince stepped fully into the room and replied, "There is nothing to end, Mother. It has always been her and it will always be her."

She glanced over at her son, also dressed in mourning wear, thinner, but taller now, and said, "If you try to do what I know you to be thinking, Xing will burn and everything you fought for, that she lost her arm and her grandfather for will be for nothing."

The prince shrugged, folded his arms and replied, in a tone that was almost bored, "Xing is mine as she is mine and no one will take either from me. Stop it with your threats Mother, and leave her alone."

She sighed and dismissed him with a wave. A moment later he took her hand, kissed it and said, "Besides, if you think you can somehow force Lan Fan to leave...you have no idea the woman that you're dealing with."


End file.
